EKLATION BETWEEN CLIiMATE AND VEGETATION. 195 



various species of Begonia, Heliconia, Tradescantia, numerous 

 small shrubs, such as Beslerias, Psychotrias, &c. ; while above 

 these again were the graceful Tree-ferns, and the noble Palms, 

 their large fronds trembling with the slightest breeze. But it is 

 the largest of the forest-trees themselves which produce the 

 strongest impression on the mind of the native of the old world. 

 Their thickness, and the height to which they rear their un- 

 branched stems, first claim his attention ; then, in place of the 

 few Mosses and Lichens that cover the trunks and boughs of 

 the trees of his own country, here they are bearded, from their 

 roots to the tips of the smallest branches, with Ferns, Arads, 

 Tillandsias, Cacti, Orchids, Gesnerworts, and many otlier epi- 

 phytal plants. Besides these, the trunks of many are encircled 

 with the twining stems of climbing Bignonias, and other plants 

 of similar habit, the branches of which often become so thick, 

 and compress the tree so much, that it perishes from the too 

 close embrace. These climbers again, which merely ascend the 

 trunk, supporting themselves by their numerous small roots, 

 often become detached after reaching the boughs ; and the 

 whole mass then presents the appearance of a ship's mast, sup- 

 ported by its stays. These rope-like twiners and creeping shrubs, 

 passing from tree to tree, descending from tlie branches to tlie 

 ground, and ascending again to other boughs, intermingle them- 

 selves in a thousand ways, and render a passage through some 

 parts of the woods both difficult and annoying. After reaching 

 the highest level of the aqueduct, a good path leads along it for 

 upwards of two miles, and here a different kind of vegetation 

 presents itself. In damp shady places grew the common water- 

 cress, and on the rocks, Marchantia polymorpha, Funaria hy- 

 grometrica, Polytrichum juniper inum, and Anthoceros punctata, 

 which, being all old acquaintances, recalled many pleasing re- 

 collections of home. Along with these were associated many 

 other fine species of Mosses, and some delicate Ferns. Nu- 

 merous species of Begonia grew on the faces of the moist rocks, 

 particularly where they were overshadowed by the large trees of 

 the forest. One species {B. longipes), bearing large panicles of 

 white flowers, and leaves as large as those of Petasites vulgaris, 

 threw up its stem to the height of 10 or 12 feet, among a vast 

 quantity of the large and beautiful Heliconia brasiliensis. Be- 

 gonia argyrostigma and B. sanguinea were very abundant. On 

 dry rocks, in the woods here, I first met with the beautiful Epi- 

 phyllum truncatum, growing along with the no less beautiful 

 Nematanthus longipes. 



The Corcovado Mountain rises to a considerable height above 

 the highest level of the aqueduct. The ascent is from the north- 

 west side, that which looks towards the sea being nearly one per- 



o2 



